Facilities & Grounds

The brightly coloured buildings provide a warm welcome as you enter the School via Richard’s Lane. Made up of two cushioned outdoor play areas, a large playground and Astro pitch, the Pre-Prep boasts great outdoor space, enabling plenty of outdoor learning. Class sizes are kept small and children work happily within the bright and colourful classrooms. The Pre-Prep Gym provides an indoor space for P.E. and gymnastics, with assembly held here most mornings, the room is often filled with the sound of our young Dragons playing a variety of musical instruments to greet everyone. Music at the Pre-Prep is played in their 4 soundproof pods, acoustically designed sanctuaries purpose-built for the playing of musical instruments. Pre-Prep’s Library is made up of an impressive collection of over 8,000 children’s books, including wonderful childhood classics and the carefully selected new releases. Every child enjoys a weekly Library lesson where they are treated to stories and ‘tasters’ of a variety of genres to tempt them into developing a balanced reading diet. Home-cooked lunch is prepared by Holroyd Howe’s Ma Michelle, and enjoyed every day in the newly-renovated Dining Room.

Combining traditional architecture and contemporary design, the Prep site sits proudly amid open playing fields and along the banks of the River Cherwell. Original School buildings have been reworked and modernised, with their traditional features kept very much in place. As we move through the site, past the Lodge and into the grounds, our playing fields greet you and the Dragon warmly welcomes you in.

Our dedicated Science Block houses our 6 Biology, Chemistry and Physics laboratories where young Dragons learn through practical experiments, and enjoy dedicated workshop spaces, art studios and kitchen facilities for Pottery, Textiles, Design Technology and Cookery. The Dragon boasts wonderful indoor and outdoor sports facilities, from our brilliantly maintained sports fields, to the 25m heated indoor swimming pool and Olympic-sized hockey astro. The climbing wall provides our young Dragons the opportunity to reach great heights in the fresh air, while the river enables our scullers to practice their form. The Rink provides our pupils with a bright, mirrored, indoor studio space for Dance and Drama, and the Gym the perfect place for indoor Cricket and Football practice.

Our Dragon Music department provides exciting opportunities to get involved in the creative use of Music Technology. State-of-the-art sound proof music pods house recording studios and weekly workshops, with over 800 lessons taking place every week. The Library houses an extensive fiction and non-fiction collection. There are computers, newspapers and magazines to enjoy. Our warm and welcoming facility provides a space for the children to relax and study during Bun-Break, lunch times and after-school.

Lynam Hall holds a bi-weekly assembly and is home to our in-school performances. From musical theatre productions and music recitals, to the annual Sing Song and weekly Spectrum* events, the hall is a hub of activity throughout the year.

Boarding is at the heart of our thriving Dragon community, which represents one of the largest co-educational populations of Prep school full boarders in the UK. We have ten homely, family-style Boarding Houses, made up of Junior, Senior and Day. With a wide range of boarding options available, from flexible to full, there’s something to suit every family.

Our Dragon School Health Centre (DHC) is home to our dedicated team of trained nurses providing round-the-clock medical care throughout the term.

*Past Spectrum speakers include; Hugh Warwick, Sanderson Jones, Leon McCarron, Sarah Fane OBE, OD William Webb and OD Kate Culverwell. The School’s Spectrum schedule is always interspersed with School plays, musicals, excellent debates, ‘Battle of the Bands’, the Upper School Variety Show and visiting speakers.